Jenny Jones hit out at David Cameron’s decision to involve the Metropolitan Police and said the move would deny justice to other victims of crime while tying up police resources. A member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, Ms Jones has vowed to do everything in her power to stop the inquiry. Her comments echo disquiet expressed by fellow MPA member, Labour peer Toby Harris, who accused the Prime Minister of undermining the operational independence of the police.

Ms Jones said the McCanns were being given preferential treatment. “The police should not take this case up in this way,” she said. “It is ludicrous. This could take years and will cost millions. It is very unusual for police to step in like this and it is not an appropriate use of police resources.” Ms Jones, who is also a member of the London Assembly, said: “The Government is closing down the Forensic Science Service because there are not enough funds. This is a crucial part of police work.

“Although it is tragic and I feel for the McCanns, how can the Prime Minister justify spending millions of pounds on one case?”

Of course, the McCanns deserve tremendous sympathy over their appalling plight. And people may well admire the focused, resolute manner in which they have managed to revive interest in their case and keep alive the hope of finding their missing child.

But that does not mean the Prime Minister should have responded to their campaign by asking British police to get involved.

Let’s hope the Met’s involvement does indeed produce a breakthrough in this distressing case. However, it is most likely that it will not.

Unless…

NOTW: “Cops new e-fit of Maddie abductor”

THE face of Madeleine McCann’s abductor could finally be unmasked by hi-tech police profiling computers, we can reveal. A Metropolitan Police case review squad will be given access to key descriptions of potential suspects.

And they will use advanced software to produce a definitive e-fit.

It is hoped it will produce an image of a man seen lurking near the McCanns’ holiday flat in Portugal around the time Madeleine was snatched.

Who needs facts with reporting like that?

Sunday Mercury: “Waking The Dead style expert called in to crack case of Madeleine McCann”

BRITAIN’S top cold case cop is to lead the hunt for missing Midland girl Madeleine McCann.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood of the Metropolitan Police is the sleuth who inspired Waking The Dead TV detective Peter Boyd, played by actor Trevor Eve.

So much for those who cannot split reality from make believe. What about the hunt for the missing child?

BRITISH detectives are investigating a secretive paedophile internet network over encrypted messages about Madeleine McCann.

Police, alongside intelligence experts and the McCanns’ own investigators, are probing a series of posts made about the youngster on a sickos’ web forum.

In the posts – which have been seen by the Daily Star Sunday – the perverts revel in describing abuse missing Maddie may have suffered.

Such are the facts.

John Kampfner: “Privacy decisions can’t just be left to judges and politicians”

The argument made by media lawyers is that the tabloids are more out of control than they were before, requiring tougher application of the law. The evidence on this is mixed. In a forthcoming special issue on privacy of Index on Censorship magazine, the journalism professor Brian Cathcart delves in detail into the News of the World phone-hacking scandal and the Madeleine McCann case.

I have no doubt Cameron is sincere in wishing to help the McCanns and to provide better treatment to our servicemen and women. And, as a former public relations professional, he knows these are useful positives in a sea of unhelpful governmental negatives.

Something new might emerge from the involvement of Scotland Yard experts in the Madeleine case. After all, new techniques, including DNA testing, mean it’s almost commonplace now for decades-old cases to be solved.

As for the military covenant, members of the Armed Forces can’t object to having the privileges earned by their sacrifice written into law. If this is as important as Cameron says, we may wonder why it has taken so long.

But good news does not drive out bad if the first is notional and the second certain.

The McCann initiative and the military covenant — however benign the motives for either — are no more than gestures at the end of the day.